Capitonidae - New World Barbets

The Capitonidae or American barbets are a family of near passerine birds of the order Piciformes, which inhabit humid forests in Central and South America. They are closely related to the toucans. They are plump birds, with short necks and large heads. They get their name from the bristles which fringe their heavy bills. Most species are brightly coloured and live in tropical forest. They are mostly arboreal birds which nest in tree holes dug by breeding pairs, laying 2 to 4 eggs. They eat fruit and insects. These birds do not migrate.

While most American barbet species inhabit lowland forest, some range into montane and temperate forests as well. Most are restricted to habitats containing trees with dead wood, which are used for nesting.

Their diet is mixed, with fruit being the dominant part of the diet. Small prey items are also taken, especially when nesting. Barbets are capable of shifting their diet quickly in the face of changes in food availability: Numerous species of fruiting tree and bush are visited; an individual barbet may feed on as many as 60 different species in its range. They will also visit plantations and take cultivated fruit and vegetables. Fruit is eaten whole and indigestible material such as seed pits regurgitated later (often before singing). Regurgitation does not usually happen in the nest (as happens with toucans). Like their relatives, American barbets are thought to be important agents in seed dispersal in tropical forests. As well as taking fruit, they also take arthropod prey, gleaned from the branches and trunks of trees. A wide range of insects are taken, including ants, beetles and moths. Scorpions and centipedes are also taken, and a few species will take small vertebrates such as frogs.

Species Links

Black-girdled Barbet is a striking, but poorly-known, barbet of south central Amazonia. Both sexes have the black "girdle" - the black band across the belly - but only the male has the striking red crown; the crown of the female is black.

The Spot-crowned Barbet is found from western Panama to northwest Colombia, with separate subspecies recognized west and east of the Panama Canal Zone. Like all Neotropical barbets, this is a striking-looking bird.

The spot-crowned barbet (Capito maculicoronatus) is a species of bird in the Capitonidae family. It is found in Colombia and Panama. Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical moist lowland forests and heavily degraded former forest.